Hardened aircraft unit load device

Abstract

A hardened load carrying device includes a unitarily constructed container for holding the load. The container has an opening which is partially bordered by a slot that includes opposed crooked thumbs which project into the channel of the slot. A door for covering the opening of the container has a pair of opposed crooked fingers which are attached along part of the edge of the door to establish a bite. To enclose the load in the container the bite of the door is slidingly received into the slot bordering the opening to cover the opening and engage the crooked fingers of the door with the crooked thumbs of the slot. In an alternate embodiment the crooked thumbs of the slot are replaced by opposed lips which extend inwardly to establish a T-shaped slot, and the crooked fingers and the door are replaced by a flange which is slidingly received into the T-shaped slot. Any joints which are established between panels of the container are reinforced using a double thickness of material. In response to an explosive blast inside the container, the bite on the door interlocks with the slot on the container to grip the bite with the slot. Together, this action and the reinforced joints resist a rupturing of the load carrying device.

We claim: 
     
       1. A hardened unit load carrying device which comprises: a container for holding said load, said container being formed with an opening defining a channel means;   a door having an edge;   a flanged gripping means formed on said door along a portion of said edge; and   said channel means consisting of interlocking means bordering said opening for slidably receiving at least part of said gripping means of said door in an interlocking fashion, to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container;   wherein said gripping means and said interlocking means interlock with increased force in response to an explosive blast within said container to resist rupturing said device.   
     
     
       2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said container is formed with a plurality of panel, each said panel defining a periphery and being joined with other of said panels along their respective peripheries to form said container with reinforced joints established between said panels, at least one said panel being formed with said opening. 
     
     
       3. A device as recited in claim 2 wherein each said panel has a first thickness and said joints have a second thickness which is approximately twice said first thickness. 
     
     
       4. A device as recited in claim 3 wherein said container is of unitary construction. 
     
     
       5. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least part of said gripping means is formed as a crooked finger. 
     
     
       6. A device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a crushable liner positioned to cover the inside of said container. 
     
     
       7. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said gripping means is a flange attached substantially perpendicular to said edge and projecting therefrom in opposed directions. 
     
     
       8. A hardened unit load carrying device which comprises: a container for holding said load, said container being formed with an opening;   a door having an edge;   a flanged gripping means formed on said door along a portion of said edge; and   means bordering said opening for slidably receiving at least part of said gripping means of said door, to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and for engaging with said gripping means in response to an explosive blast within said container to resist rupturing said device;   wherein at least part of said gripping means is formed as a crooked finger; and   wherein said means bordering said opening includes a crooked thumb for interlocking with said crooked finger.   
     
     
       9. A device as recited in claim 8 wherein said edge of said door is formed with a bite, said bite including a flange attached substantially perpendicular to said edge of said panel and projecting therefrom in opposed directions, said flange having a pair of extensions, each said extension being oriented substantially parallel to said door panel and overlapping said door panel to establish a pair of opposed crooked fingers for said bite. 
     
     
       10. A device as recited in claim 9 wherein said opening is at least partially bordered by a slot, said slot being a channel formed with a pair of opposed rims, each said rim having a lip extending over part of said channel and each lip having a protrusion projecting part way into said channel to create a slit therebetween and to establish a pair of opposed crooked thumbs for said slot, said slot of said container being dimensioned to slidably receive said bite of said door to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and to interlockingly grip said slot with said bite in response to an explosive blast within said container. 
     
     
       11. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein said door and said opening are substantially rectangular, and said bite is formed along three sides of said door to leave an exposed edge on one side of said door, and said slot borders three sides of said opening, said opening having a groove contiguous with said slot and extending along one side of said opening for receiving said exposed edge of said door therein when said door covers said opening. 
     
     
       12. A hardened unit load carrying device which comprises: a container for holding said load, said container being formed with an opening;   a door having an edge;   a flanged gripping means formed on said door along a portion of said edge; and   means bordering said opening for slidably receiving at least part of said gripping means of said door, to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and for engaging with said gripping means in response to an explosive blast within said container to resist rupturing said device;   wherein said gripping means is a flange attached substantially perpendicular to said edge and projecting therefrom in opposed directions; and   wherein said opening is at least partially bordered by a slot, said slot being a channel formed with a pair of opposed rims, each said rim having a lip extending over part of said channel to create a slit therebetween, said slot of said container being dimensioned to slidably receive said flange of said door to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and to interlockingly grip said slot with said flange in response to an explosive blast within said container.   
     
     
       13. A device as recited in claim 12 wherein said slot is T-shaped. 
     
     
       14. A hardened load carrying device which comprises: a plurality of panels, each said panel defining a periphery and being joined with other of said panels along their respective peripheries to form a container with reinforced joints established between said panels, at least one said panel having an opening, said opening being at least partially bordered by a slot, said slot being a channel formed with a pair of opposed rims with each said rim having a lip extending therefrom over part of said channel; and   a door having an edge, at least part of said edge being formed with a flange slidably engageable with said slot to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and to hold said flange of said door against said lip of said slot for said door to grip said container in response to an explosive blast within said container.   
     
     
       15. A device as recited in claim 14 wherein each said lip further comprises a protrusion projecting part way into said channel to create a slit therebetween and to establish a pair of opposed crooked thumbs for said slot and wherein said edge of said door formed with a bite, said bite including said flange, said flange being attached substantially perpendicular to said edge of said door panel and projecting therefrom in opposed directions, said flange having a pair of extensions, each said extension being oriented substantially parallel to said door panel and overlapping said door panel to establish a pair of opposed crooked fingers of said bite, said slot of said container being dimensioned to slidably receive said bite of said door to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and to interlockingly grip said slot with said bite in response to an explosive blast within said container. 
     
     
       16. A device as recited in claim 15 wherein said door and said opening are substantially rectangular, and said bite is formed along three sides of said door to leave an exposed edge on one side of said door, and said slot borders three sides of said opening, said opening having a groove contiguous with said slot and extending alone one side of said opening for receiving said exposed edge of said door therein when said door covers said opening. 
     
     
       17. A device as recited in claim 14 wherein said panels are substantially flat. 
     
     
       18. A device as recited in claim 14 wherein each said panel has a first thickness and said joints have a second thickness which is approximate twice said first thickness. 
     
     
       19. A hardened load carrying device which comprises: a door panel having an edge formed with a flange attached substantially perpendicular to said edge of said panel and projecting therefrom in opposed directions; and   a container for holding said load, said container being formed with an opening at least partially bordered by a slot, said slot being a channel formed with a pair of opposed rims, each said rim having a lip extending over part of said channel to create a slit therebetween, said slot of said container being dimensioned to slidably receive said flange of said door to cover said opening with said door and enclose said load in said container, and to interlockingly grip said lip of said slot with said flange of said door in response to an explosive blast within said container to resist rupturing said device.   
     
     
       20. A device as recited in claim 19 wherein said flange having a pair of extensions, each said extension being oriented substantially parallel to said door panel and overlapping said door panel to establish a pair of opposed crooked fingers to establish a bit and each said lip of said slot has a protrusion projecting part way into said channel to create a slit therebetween and to establish a pair of opposed crooked thumbs for said slot, said thumbs being engageable with said slot. 
     
     
       21. A device as recited in claim 20 wherein said door and said opening are substantially rectangular, and said bite is formed along three sides of said door to leave an exposed edge on one side of said door, and said slot borders three sides of said opening, said opening having a groove contiguous with said slot and extending along one side of said opening for receiving said exposed edge of said door therein when said door covers said opening. 
     
     
       22. A device as recited in claim 19 wherein said container comprises a plurality of panels, each said panel defining a periphery and being joined with other of said panels along their respective peripheries to form a container with reinforced joints established between said panels. 
     
     
       23. A device as recited in claim 19 wherein each said panel has a first thickness and said joints have a second thickness which is approximate twice said first thickness. 
     
     
       24. A device as recited in claim 19 wherein said container is of unitary construction. 
     
     
       25. A device as recited in claim 19 wherein said container and said door are made of SPECTRA.